SC Freiburg 0-3 Aston Villa: Villans win Europa League to end 30-year trophy drought

Aston Villa claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League final at Besiktas Park in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The Breisgau-Brasilia almost made the perfect start as Igor Matanovic connected with a cross from the right inside the opening minute, but his effort drifted wide of the target.

At the other end, Noah Atubolu was called into action early on, denying both Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins with fine saves in the opening five minutes.

Moments later, Rogers threatened again as he looked to find the top corner, but his curling effort flew just wide before Maximilian Hofler volleyed Pau Torres’ headed clearance off target at the other end.

Freiburg nearly took the lead just past the half-hour mark when Matanovic found Johan Manzambi, only for Emiliano Martinez to keep out his effort.

In the 41st minute, Youri Tielemans opened the scoring, calmly volleying Rogers’ delivery into the bottom corner.

Moments later, Emiliano Buendía doubled Villa’s lead with a superb curling strike from 18 yards out.

Five minutes after the restart, Buendia nearly grabbed his second with an attempted chip over Atubolu, but the German goalkeeper reacted well before Rogers later volleyed Tielemans’ free kick wide.

Rogers finally scored his goal in the 58th minute, finishing off Buendia’s cross from close range for Villa’s third.

Moments later, Villa came close to adding a fourth twice in quick succession, with Amadou Onana’s header from John McGinn’s corner hitting the post before Buendia struck the side netting after rounding Atubolu.

In the 78th minute, McGinn could’ve increased the deficit after he met Buendia’s pass at the back post, but his first-time shot was kept out by Atubolu.

Unai Emery clinched his fifth Europa League title as Aston Villa ended a 30-year wait for silverware and lifted their first European trophy since 1982.